Method of bow stringing and bow stringer



Dec. 17, 1968 R. I. WILSON METHOD OF BOW STRINGING AND BOW STRINGER Filed Sept. 17, 1965 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,416,220 METHOD OF BOW STRINGING AND BOW STRINGER Richard I. Wilson, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Shakespeare Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 488,100 6 Claims. (Cl. 29446) The present invention relates in general to a device or an accessory for use by an archer, and is more particularly concerned with such device or accessory for use by an archer in the process of stringing his how by the step-through method of bow stringing or bracing.

Various devices have previously been patented for the assistance of the archer in stringing or bracing his bow, and as representative patents may be cited United States Patent 3,055,655, which shows a satisfactory means for this purpose but which means is, however, inconvenient and less portable than desirable. Another representative patent is US Patent 3,000,628, which shows an excellent bow stringer but which bow stringer is not at all conveniently portable. For actual in-the-fiel use, the smallest possible means is of course essential. U.S. Patent 2,968,300 is not relevant to the present invention, for, although it shows a bow attachment to facilitate stringing an archery bow, the method to be employed in that patent is the push-pull method. The same may be said of the device of US. Patent 3,082,756, which is not relevant to the present invention for the same reason. The push-pull method of stringing a bow is not dangerous if the bow is kept close to the body of the archer, but if the bow is allowed to reach a position some distance from the body, even as shown in US. Patents 2,968,300 and 3,082,756, the bow can spring back dangerously if the hand of the archer should slip off the limb of the bow. Damage to the face and to the eye of the archer from the employment of this push-pull method of bow stringing is indeed common and such method, being inherently dangerous, is not at all recommended. In contrast, the step-through method is inherently a safe method and is accordingly the method of choice for stringing or bracing a bow.

Archers have also employed straps for wrapping their ankles through which the arm or limb of a bow could be placed for bracing during the stringing process, but such procedure places too great a strain on the ankle and has accordingly fallen into disuse since it has not been found satisfactory.

In the stringing of a bow, which requires the bow to be flexed or bent so as to decrease its span for connection to the bow string while under tension, it is the most common and surely the safest practice for the archer to manipulate the bow as follows, according to the accepted step-through method of stringing a bow.

According to this method of stringing a bow, the curve of the lower limb of the bow is first laid over the left ankle holding the string tight in the left hand. Then the archer steps across the bow with the right leg, and the handle of the bow is then placed on the right thigh. The right knee is slightly bent. Then, the right hand is placed on the curve of the top limb of the bow, with the palm open. The left leg is then kept stiff, by raising the heel off the ground, while the right hand pushes forward. At the same time the right knee is locked so that the bow bends naturally. The top of the string is slipped into place and the archer relaxes slowly. To unstring the bow, just the reverse process is employed.

The foregoing method of stringing a bow is known to be the safest method, but is notorious for ruining good archery equipment. Unless performed exactly correctly, damage to the bow is likely to result. For example, in this 3,416,220 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 method of bow stringing or bracing, there are three points of contact between the archer and the bow. The problem results from the fact that the limb of the bow rests on the foot of the archer, that is, against a solid and stationary object with no flexibility. Therefore, any sideways move ment of the entire bow while under pressure creates a torque and, as the limb of the bow is stationary over the foot, it twists out of shape and accuracy of the bow is impaired. The twisted limb causes the string in a full drawn bow to come in at an angle and the arrow to fiy not in the true line of sight-but out of the true line of sight. Sometimes the impairmant of the accuracy of the bow arising from this method of bow stringing is so great that the string actually flies off of the bow upon release, that is, in archery parlance, the bow turns inside out.

This method of stringing a bow can also cause injury to the person as well as damage to the equipment unless done precisely correctly. Although less frequent, such injury is possible and it is well recognized that it is seldom possible even for experienced and knowledgable archers to carry out this method of how stringing exactly correctly.

It is moreover a known fact that eighty-five percent of the returns of archery bows to manufacturers from customers who believe their bows to be defective are actually a result of improper stringing of the bow using the stepthrough method or some other method of bow stringing. As a matter of fact, the problem of archers twisting bow limbs due to improper stringing has become so acute that many manufacturers now find it necessary to void the guarantee if the bow has been strung improperly.

According to the step-through method, it is usually possible for an archer to string a bow of much heavier weight than can be strung by the same archer by any other method of stringing, but the device of the present invention emphasizes this advantage even more. As, in most states, it is illegal to carry a strung bow in a vehicle, it becomes necessary to unstring and string an archery bow a half a dozen times a day during deer hunting, if not more often. It is also true that women archers cannot ordinarily string their own bows, especially long bows of the type used in tournaments, since too much pressure is required on the ankle in employment of the stepthrough method of how stringing. According to the device of the present invention, however, women can string not only their own bows but also longer and mens bows.

The device of the present invention avoids all of the objections and disadvantages of prior art devices, and is in fact the only device which satisfactorily eliminates the danger to the equipment which as previously outlined is is inherent in the stringing or bracing of a how by the step-through method.

The main purpose of the present invention is accordingly to allow an archer the safety and comfort of the step-through method without attendant danger of injury to his equipment. Such is accordingly an object of the present invention. A further object of the invention is the provision of a device for the assistance of the archer in stringing his bow by the step-through method which is safe, economical, light in weight, readily attachable and detachable, durable, readily transpotrable, and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which designed. Additional objects will become apparent hereinafter and still others will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an archery bow being strung by means of the step-through method, while utilizing the bow-stringer device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective enlarged view illustrating the manner in which the device of the invention is mounted about the foot, and showing the lower end of a bow engaged in and being restrained by the loop of the device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bow stringer device of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken at the line 44 of FIG. 3.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are used to refer to corresponding parts throughout.

Referring to the drawing, the bow stringer device of the invention, as shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a flexible main strap 1 formed of a material such as leather or any suitable artificial or synthetic material such as artificial leathers or synthetic plastics. One end of the strap 1 is provided with a loop 2 formed by securing the end 3 of the strap by means of a rivet 4. A pair of rings 5 and 6 are retained within the loop 2. This terminal structure is utilized for the purpose of engaging the other end of the strap to form a loop which may be adjustably secured around the foot or a shoe supported thereon, in a manner well known in the art. Alternatively, other suitable means such as a buckle may be used.

Intermediate the ends of the strap 1 is mounted a 100p or cup 7 designed to engage and restrain the lower end of the 'bow while it is being strung. The loop comprises a strap which may also be made of leather or suitable synthetic materials, preferably materials which are flexible. The strap forming the loop is oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the strap 1 and preferably encircles the strap 1 in order to acquire added strength and resistance against being torn apart from the strap 1. The ends 8 and 9 of the strap forming the loop 7 are secured to the strap 1 by means of a rivet 10, although other suitable fastening means may be substituted.

In its preferred form the loop is provided with a substantially frustoconical contour having a wide opening at one end 11 and a narrower opening at the other end 12. Additionally, it is preferred that the strap forming the loop be wider at the outer portion 13 of the loop than at the inner portion 14 of the loop. These improved features cooperate to provide a greater area of support for the end of the bow and, moreover, are adapted to fit the general contour of the end of the bow.

The device of the present invention has the advantage that the loop in the form of a cup or eye into which the bow tip is placed always follows the bow tip and thus no torque is imparted to the bow during the stringing operation, that is, a straight pull is enabled by this device. Since the bow stays in line from end to end, no torque is applied. This is true even when the archer rotates his body during the course of stringing by the step-through method. Accordingly, the bow and the efficiency thereof remain unimpaired by the stringing operation, a highly desirable result which is one of the salient objects of the invention.

In a preferred commercial form the bow stringer device consists of an adjustable leather strap /8 of an inch wide and 18 inches long with two metal rings on one end afiixed on a loop of the strap formed with a rivet. Five inches from the metal rings there is a loop in the form of a cup attached to the strap by another rivet. This loop is formed of strap leather 4 inches long and is of an inch at its narrowest and 1% inches at its widest point. By threading the free end of the main strap through both rings and then looping it back over the second ring and under the first ring, the strap can be adjusted to a loop size of approximately 2% inches in diameter to a maximum of approximately 6 inches in diameter. This adjustment should cover any shoe or boot size.

In stringing a bow while utilizing the bow stringer, the archer adjusts the loop so that it fits snugly over the instep of the foot, with the loop or cup on the inside of the foot and at the top of the foot, just below the shoelace holes of his shoe. The largest opening of the loop sould be up. He then places the lower tip of the bow (with the bow string in the nook) into the loop. He then proceeds to string the bow using the step-through method as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As leather or similar flexible materials will give and follow the limb of the bow, there is no way in which the archer can twist the limb due to stringing. For best results, the rivets used in the assembly of the bow stringer should desirably withstand a direct pull of 500 pounds. The leather or any synthetic material used in the manufacture of the bow stringer should also desirably be able to withstand at least 500 pounds force.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for assisting in the stringing of an archery bow which comprises a flexible strap adapted to be placed around an archers foot at the instep thereof, means for adjusta'bly securing said strap to form a fixed loop comprising a pair of metallic rings engaged within a loop formed in the end of said strap, and means affixed to said strap for engaging and restraining one end of said bow while said bow is being flexed and a bow string aflixed to its other end which comprises a flexible frustoconical strap loop oriented perpendicular to and encircling said strap and affixed at its ends thereto, said loop being wider at its center than at its ends.

2. A method for stringing an archery bow which comprises mounting an assisting device on the foot of one leg, said device comprising a flexible strap encircling the foot and having means at one end adjustably securing said strap about said foot and having means aflixed to said strap for engaging and restraining the end of a bow, inserting the lower end of said bow having one end of a bow string secured thereto into said engaging and restraining means, placing the handle of said how against the thigh of the other leg, flexing the bow by manually pushing on the upper end of the bow and securing the other end of said bow string to the upper end of said bow.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said means for engaging and restraining the end of said bow comprises a flexible strap loop afiixed at its ends to said strap and oriented substantially perpendicular to said strap.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said loop is substantially frustoconical.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said loop is wider at its central portion than at its ends.

6. A method for stringing an archery bow which comprises mounting an assisting device on the foot of one leg, said device comprising a flexible strap encircling the foot and securing said strap about said foot and having means aflixed to said strap for engaging and restraining the end of a bow, inserting the lower end of said bow having one end of a bow string secured thereto into said engaging and restraining means, placing the handle of said bow against the thigh of the other leg, flexing the bow by manually pushing on the upper end of the bow and securing the other end of said bow string to the upper end of said bow.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Place 24-197 Risher et a1. 128-77 X Allen 124-23 Kellogg 29-235 X Chelf 29-235 Schall 124-23 6 3,207,145 9/ 1965 Browning et al 124-23 3,208,653 9/1965 Wallace. 3,294,078 12/1966 Allen 124-23 3,253,587 5/1966 Pearson 124-23 CHARLIE T. MOON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

1. A DEVICE FOR ASSISTING IN THE STRINGING OF AN ARCHERY BOW WHICH COMPRISES A FLEXIBLE STRAP ADAPTED TO BE PLACED AROUND AN ARCHER''S FOOT AT THE INSTEP THEREOF, MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID STRAP TO FORM A FIXED LOOP COMPRISING A PAIR OF METALLIC RINGS ENGAGED WITHIN A LOOP FORMED IN THE END OF SAID STRAP, AND MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID STRAP FOR ENGAGING AND RESTRAINING ONE END OF SAID BOW WHILE SAID BOW IS BEING FLEXED AND A BOW STRING AFFIXED TO ITS OTHER END WHICH COMPRISES A FLEXIBLE FRUSTOCONICAL STRAP LOOP ORIENTED PERPENDICULAR TO AND ENCIRCLING SAID STRAP AND AFFIXED AT ITS ENDS THERETO, SAID LOOP BEING WIDER AT ITS CENTER THAN AT ITS ENDS.
 2. A METHOD FOR STRINGING AN ARCHERY BOW WHICH COMPRISES MOUNTING AN ASSISTING DEVICE ON THE FOOT OF ONE LEG, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE STRAP ENCIRCLING THE FOOT AND HAVING MEANS AT ONE END ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID STRAP ABOUT SAID FOOT AND HAVING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID STRAP FOR ENGAGING AND RESTRAINING THE END OF A 